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Review article: Biomedical intelligence

Vol. 142 No. 3738 (2012)

Hunger strike among detainees: guidance for good medical practice

  • Laurent Gétaz
  • Jean-Pierre Rieder
  • Laurent Nyffenegger
  • Ariel Eytan
  • Jean-Michel Gaspoz
  • Hans Wolff
DOI
https://doi.org/10.4414/smw.2012.13675
Cite this as:
Swiss Med Wkly. 2012;142:w13675
Published
09.09.2012

Summary

Hunger strike is a regularly reported problem in prison. Although clinical situations are rarely severe, hospitalisation is often considered. In consequence, it is not only physicians working in prisons, but also hospital medical teams who face challenges related to hunger strike, involving somatic, psychological, legal and human rights aspects. Furthermore, deontological rules must be strictly respected when delivering care, particularly in prison setting.

Starvation involves metabolic changes and can cause severe, and sometimes even irreversible or fatal complications. Moreover, the phase of re-alimentation should not be trivialised, as re-feeding syndrome is a potentially fatal phenomenon. This article provides guidance for monitoring and management of patients on hunger strike.

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